Have you ever thought of buying clothing made from hemp or bamboo?  These are two new fibers that are being used to make clothes that are softer, more durable and less likely to stain or mildew than cotton.

What is natural and what is organic?  We shouldn't confuse the two terms.  Natural fibers include cotton, wool, and silk but are not necessarily organic.  Organic clothing means that no pesticides or other destructive chemicals were used in its production.  While organic cotton is available, hemp and bamboo are now being used to produce better clothing that is less destructive to the environment.

Using natural and organic fibers helps us in many ways:

  • helps protect your children
  • reduces pesticide use
  • protects farm workers
  • protects water quality
  • prevents soil erosion
  • is a sturdier fabric
  • saves you money
  • feels amazing inside and out
  • supports a true economy
  • supports an healthier environment.


Hemp

Important characteristics of hemp include:

  • Strong: Clothing made of hemp fiber is lightweight, absorbent and, with three times the tensile strength of cotton, strong and longlasting.
  • Weather Resistant: UV and mold-resistant, hemp is excellent for outdoor wear.
  • Versatile: Hemp can be blended with other fibers for different qualities in the garment. Hemp/silk and hemp/cotton garments are now available.
  • Cost-Effective: Hemp is less expensive to farm because of its minimal growth requirements.
  • Easy on the Environment: Hemp farming uses very little water, does not require the use of chemical pesticides or fertilizers, and is a readily renewable resource.


Bamboo

When you think of bamboo you may think of stir-frying and feeding pandas. As a clothing fiber, bamboo yields 50 times as much fiber per acre as cotton.  It can be used for everything from hardwood flooring to baby clothes.

It is an economic and ecologic alternative to cotton. $10 million worth of bamboo textiles will be sold in the United States this year, $50 million worldwide.

A bamboo T-shirt costs about $7 and, compared with cotton, is softer, dyes easier, and fights odor better than cotton.

Bamboo clothing is already available on shelves at Target and will be in Nordstrom and J.C. Penney next year.